UMI's Virtual Learning Environment

Data Management and Business Analytics

Data Management and Business Analytics

Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) of projects are increasingly recognized as indispensable management functions. For many years, M&E of development projects in developing countries has been given little attention. Some of the main constraints that have hampered M&E in development projects include: weak interest and commitment to the evaluation function by both donors and civil society organizations, weak culture of carrying out, sharing, discussing and using the results of evaluation activities among NGOs and donors, a relative shortage of professional evaluation experts (in comparison with researchers, trainers), insufficient technical resources, limited monetary allocation to M&E work by governments and donors, limited training opportunities in evaluation as well as shortage of trained staff. However, it is important to note that the last few years have witnessed an increased interest in strengthening the M&E function by donors, Government and civil society organizations for the purposes of generating results. Many programs and projects have come up especially in developing countries which need to be run effectively and efficiently putting in mind value for money by the donors and governments. Such programs include but are not limited to humanitarian/relief programs, government programs, community programs, amongst others. The module is designed to enable aspiring M&E specialists and all those engaged in project work to demonstrate required standards of competence for professional practice in a key discipline and acquire essential knowledge and skills to track project performance. As a result of this increased interest, potential and current M&E practitioners and project managers need to acquaint themselves with the resilient requirements for designing and tracking project performance across the results matrix.

This module provides you with an introduction to project planning and programming. This will enable you to acquire skills necessary for the planning of projects across a wide spectrum of professional disciplines. These skills are important to participants who are engaged in project planning and management at several levels especially Team Leaders, Project Coordinators, Project Managers, Project Directors and other stakeholders. The Topics covered in this module include:  Overview of Project Planning and Programming, Objectives, Success Criteria and Constraints, The Planning Process, Work Breakdown Structure, Network Planning, Critical Path Analysis, Gantt chart, Resource Scheduling. The module provides a foundation for further learning in Project Planning and Programming.

You have already covered most of the theory for this module therefore on this online platform, you will be accessing reading material relating to; Critical Path Methods, Programme Review and Evaluation Techniques, Microsoft Project 2007 user guide and review exercises.

MODULE RATIONALE
This module is designed to introduce Participants to how public services, which are prominent feature of modern society, are managed. The management of the public sector is arguably significantly more challenging than in the private sector, not least because of the intensity of the scrutiny by multiple and varied stakeholders and the competing priorities and conflicting objectives. The module recognizes the democratic environment of public organizations from rationality to practice. It also exposes participants to the idea that the public sector borrows from the private sector. Throughout all this, the course will emphasize the importance and challenges of managing the daily practice of the public sector
MODULE DESCRIPTION
This is a module that helps Participant to build and refine their understanding of the Ugandan public sector governance. The focus is on key governance institutions and processes, the efforts being made to reform them and the theories lying behind those efforts. Specifically, the course will examine reforms in areas such as service delivery, regulation, policy making. Budgeting, citizen engagement, decentralization, public sector ethics and accountability
MODULE AIM
The module aims to provide participants with a critical analysis of developments in public sector management, how these developments impact upon the task of public management, and to contextualise public management reform within an internationalised environment. The distinctive features of this module are the exploration of the limits and applicability of managerial and organisational concepts when applied to the public sector.

MODULE OBJECTIVES
The module takes a comparative and thematic approach to issues in public sector management, and encourages participants to consider their relevance to public governance and public sector reform. Specifically, the module shall ensure that participants:
• understand and effectively manage the business of government
• manage relationships for customer and business outcomes in government.
• Understand contemporary trends and developments in public sector administration and management in both developed and developing countries
• Apply relevant theories in explaining real world public administration and management problems
• Demonstrate skills needed to tackle problems and challenges facing public sector managers
MODULE LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of the module, participants should be able to:
1. execute the goals of government and explain the role of different stakeholders.
2. examine the major drivers for public sector reforms.
3. assess the democratic environment of public sector management and its contemporary social, political and economic context.
4. critically review rational forms of public organisations & management and policy making.
5. develop a critical awareness of the presence and influence of management paradigms.
6. develop a critical understanding of the relationship between the theory and practice of public sector management.

Quantitative Methods for Management Decision Making